Chapter 64: Despair

The Nightveil Commander stepped forward in a silent, fluid motion.

​SHHHK!

​The Orc captain’s throat opened wide. A thin, jagged crimson line appeared across his neck a split second before blood erupted, pouring over his leather collar.

​The captain clutched frantically at his severed throat, his eyes bulging in sudden terror as the light within them flickered and dimmed.

​His massive body crashing heavily against the dead earth.

​Cassian watched the corpse settle into the dirt for a brief moment before turning away.

​The interrogation had gone far smoother than expected. Fortunately, the scout captain had been broken from the start, answering every question without a second of hesitation, providing every detail, troop placement, and strategic secret.

​Cassian could only attribute such absolute cooperation to overwhelming fear. Witnessing an entity slaughter one hundred and thirty-three elite warriors in three seconds was enough to terrify anyone.

​But facing the sovereign whom that slaughterer bowed to... inspired something far worse. It inspired total despair.

​Ignoring the corpse, Cassian systematically organized the intelligence he had gathered.

​Chief Morghanna required status reports from her perimeter scouts every thirty minutes, that was the primary reason this force had remained deployed near the barrier.

​The captain had even complained bitterly about the strict schedule during his interrogation, believing the Chief was becoming paranoid and imagining phantom threats where none existed.

​Yet shortly before his execution, the Orc had realized a horrific truth.

​Morghanna wasn’t paranoid at all. If anything... she hadn’t been paranoid enough.

​A cold, sharp smile spread across Cassian’s face.

​’I really did leave quite an impression on her.’

​The thought amused him deeply. The mighty Chief of the Kragmar Dominion, a woman powerful enough to crush an entire region beneath her heel, had lost sleep over a few carefully delivered threats.

​Cassian turned his gaze back to the Nightveil Commander. "We proceed as planned."

​The commander bowed its skull respectfully. "As you command, my Lord."

​The shadows beneath its feet twisted like liquid, swallowing its skeletal frame until it vanished completely into the dark forest floor.

​Gone.

​Cassian shifted his gaze toward the Nightfang Wydra mount. The robed figure sat atop the chimera in absolute silence, watching everything with a silent gaze.

​Cassian mounted the creature, taking his position at the front. "We need to reach the Dominion before the next status report is expected."

​His gaze locked onto the distant northern horizon. "Make it quick."

​The Nightfang Wydra lowered its monstrous head softly. "As you command, my Lord."

​Its massive, leathery wings unfolded, casting a wide, sweeping shadow over the bloodied clearing.

​The chimera crouched low, its powerful hind legs coiling like iron springs.

​BOOM!

​The earth exploded beneath its heavy paws.

​The massive beast launched itself skyward with terrifying velocity. Its wings beat powerfully, each stroke generating gale-force gusts that scattered dust, crushed bones, and dead leaves in every direction.

​Within seconds, they had ascended hundreds of meters into the air.

​Cassian felt the freezing wind rush past his face, his dirty-blond hair whipping wildly as the green sunlight washed over the expanse below.

​From this vantage point, the Graveshade Expanse looked even more surreal. Endless forests of blackened, skeletal trees stretched out toward the horizon, ancient graveyards dotted the landscape like pale scars, and rivers of thick, white mist wound through the dark wilderness.

​The emerald sun hung overhead like a colossal gem, while jagged mountain peaks pierced the heavens in the far distance.

​For a brief moment, Cassian simply took in the breathtaking view.

​The Lord’s Domain truly was magnificent. Dangerous, deadly, and brutal... yet beautiful nonetheless.

​Beside him, the robed rider remained deathly still as the Nightfang Wydra adjusted its flight path with effortless grace.

​Then, the chimera’s crimson eyes narrowed, locking onto the distant mountain pass.

​Its wings beat once more, tearing through the cloud layer with a thunderous crack.

​And like a dark, relentless arrow loosed from a bow, the beast shot forward into the sky, flying straight toward the heart of the Kragmar Dominion.

....

The Kragmar Dominion was far more alert than it had been the previous night.

​Chief Morghanna’s direct orders had been carried out without delay.

Large groups of Orcs continuously patrolled the settlement, warriors marching between rows of tents with axes, spears, and crude but deadly weapons fashioned from monster bone and heavy steel.

​Others stood atop elevated watchtowers built from giant timber logs and colossal ribcages, their sharp eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of danger. Even the perimeter guard rotations had doubled.

​The atmosphere was taut with tension, as though the entire dominion was preparing for a war, or waiting for a spark to ignite it.

​Then, it happened.

​One of the watchtower sentries frowned. A tiny dark speck had appeared in the distant sky beneath the emerald sun.

​The Orc grunted softly and grabbed the bone-carved spyglass hanging beside his post, raising it to his eye.

​A heartbeat later, his expression froze.

​The speck was rapidly expanding. A gigantic wolf-like chimera with leathery bat wings was flying directly toward the settlement, two riders seated upon its back, and it wasn’t altering its course in the slightest.

​It was hurtling straight for the heart of the settlement.

​The sentry’s eyes widened into saucers. "INVADERS!"

​He grabbed the massive war horn mounted on the railing and blew with all his strength.

​BWOOOOOOO!

​The deafening blast echoed across the entire valley.

​"SKY INVADERS!"

​"ENEMY IN THE AIR!"

​The calm settlement instantly erupted into absolute chaos. Orcs rushed out from their tents, warriors grabbed their weapons, commanders barked furious orders, and watchtowers relayed emergency signals across the encampment.

​Within seconds, the entire Kragmar Dominion was mobilizing for battle.

​Meanwhile, high above the settlement—

​Cassian looked down at the sudden, frantic commotion below, a sharp smile touching his lips.

​"Looks like we’ve been noticed."

​The Nightfang Wydra let out a low, vibrating growl, while behind him, the robed figure remained in absolute silence.

​Below, hundreds of Orc archers poured into battle formation. The leading archer stepped forward and raised a heavy longbow, his eyes locking onto the descending target.

​"ARCHERS!"

​Thousands of heavy bowstrings tightened simultaneously, the air itself growing tense.

​The lead archer roared, "FIRE!"

​TWANG!

​TWAAANG!

​TWANG!

​Countless arrows shot into the sky in a blinding wave, a black storm surging upward, darkening the heavens as it raced toward the descending riders.

​Toward the airborne invaders hurtling straight into the heart of the Kragmar Dominion.